New Music Roundup: Karma Glider, Taylor Janzen, Long Branch and more

Something about mid-July is begging us to slow down, take a breath, and enjoy the sunshowers that have been blessing Calgary recently. Blame it on the rainbows or the deep-fried pickle oreo hangovers, but we are dying for something more slowtempo. This week we are bringing you new rock in all its glory, ranging from Taylor Janzen’s indie-rock to the psychedelic rock of Long Branch. In case you aren’t ready to slow down yet, we are also talking about dance room legend Kiezsa and the horizon of her upcoming EP.

Montreal outfit Karma Glider graced us with the release of their first full-length album, From the Haze of a Revved Up Youth. Their distinctive sound pulls from many places, and in this album we hear the hot-boxed garages of slacker rock, shoegaze bedroom tunes, and chaotic elements of noise rock. With the mix of voices and sounds in this piece, they manage to make each song its own while remaining a part of a larger project. Their promotional single, “Wait For You” was released last month and holds its own as a standalone track while representing just 1/12 of their latest album. They blend luminous guitar feedback with intentional drum beats and melodies, perfectly striking a balance between chaos and order. We hear this tension on other songs in this album, too. In “Quasimodo Predicted This,” the singer battles with layers of reverb to get his words out, and “Diamonds” represents a drunken soliloquy over modern psychedelia. “Rock And Roll” is a fuzzed-out rock masterpiece, showcasing their mid-fi production with style. This album is the first full-length of this five-piece, and we mean it when we say keep them on your radar. 

Breaking a two year music silence, Taylor Janzen released her highly anticipated single “Lost Dog” on July 11. The Winnipeg artist is known for her powerfully raw indie rock, especially that of her 2023 full-length studio album I Live In Patterns. The single’s cover art features her stapling a ‘lost dog’ poster on a pillar, a poster that features her actual dog (who she assures is not actually lost). The lost dog metaphor is more of a reflection of her mental state over the past few years, searching for a happier version of herself, “every night since she got out / I’m searching for the lost dog / What are you still crying about.” The deeply personal atmosphere of this song is complimented by the rich textures behind her voice. Rolling in waves, she allows space for listeners to breathe after largely intense and confessional moments. Overall, we welcome Janzen back with open arms, hoping this release may be the beginning of what she is looking for. 

Again with the rock, Ontario’s Long Branch released their sophomore album on Friday. Arc of the Sun is drenched in sunbeams and dried off by soft symbols, all pressed onto a soft yellow vinyl ready to spin at your fingertips. The queer-quintet performs a marriage between large, lush productions and avant-garde energy in this album with confessional lyrics and playful instrumentals. “At Ease” should be played surrounded by burning campfire embers and the smell of sweet s’mores, whereas “Touchdown (It All Begins With)” provides a more insistent melody that begs for motion, seemingly made for a bike ride or late-night drive. This release marks the start of a month filled with shows across Montreal, Toronto, and Hamilton, and we bet their shows are just as imaginative as their music is. 

Shaking it up, Calgary’s Kiesza partnered with Toronto’s Peaches to drop their single “So Erotic” on July 11. A dynamic fusion of deep house, dance-pop and 90’s-inspired club music, this pulsating rhythm should come with a shoulder-warning. Her powerful and soulful vocals bring an emotional intensity that contrasts beautifully with the upbeat, energetic production. Reminiscent of Lady Gaga in her glory days, the catchy hooks and retro synths feel nostalgic with an electronic flair. Known for her 2014 hit single “Hideaway” that climbed up to 362 million streams on Spotify, Kiesza continues to experiment with deep and dancy basslines. Peaches, on the other hand, is described as an “electrocrash queen,” with erotic themes woven into her music—fitting for the name of their most recent single together. “So Erotic” predecesses Keisza’s upcoming EP, Dancing and Crying: Vol 2, set to release on July 25.